National Day of Service and Remembrance: Where Families Can Volunteer

I’m sure you can remember exactly where you were when you found out about 9/11. I was sitting on a picnic table outside of my barracks in Twentynine Palms, California. It had only been two weeks since I had arrived to my new duty station as a Corpsman in the Navy and I was waiting for a friend to walk to the hospital where we worked. He told me about the first strike, and we rushed over to the hospital. We entered the emergency room entrance watched the second plane hit the twin towers from the TV in the waiting area. I remember feeling the weight of what happened. These civilians paid the ultimate sacrifice without ever having signed on the dotted line. Listed below are ways to volunteer and serve in your community on September 11, National Day of Service and Remembrance in Lake County by volunteering.

Photo Source 911Day on Facebook

One year after the attacks, the non-profit group My Good Deed organized 9/11 Day and worked hard to obtain formal recognition of National Day of Service and Remembrance. The group’s hope is to inspire people to pay it forward every year as a tribute to those who lost their lives during the attacks and those who rose up in service after.

Where to volunteer for National Day of Service and Remembrance in Lake County

This tractor show has antique tractors, trucks and more and is FREE. The Truck and Tractor Pull is on Saturday and Sunday and has an entrance fee, which goes straight to two charities: F.I.S.H. Food Pantry of McHenry and Feed My Starving Children.

This fun event is sure to be something you will be talking about around the dinner table for a while afterwards! Enjoy a kickball competition and other games for parents and kids to play, all the while knowing that your $10 is going to a charity that helps single mothers with college tuition.

If you’re looking for something to do on a regular basis with your family, or with a group, this is a great option here in Lake County and the surrounding suburbs. Families, corporate groups and singles all flock to this faith-based company that provides pre-packaged food to starving children in countries around the world. My family and I went on a Thursday night and I was able to book our slot that day. Our family alone helped pack four boxes of meals, and we had a blast doing it! Music filled the air and competitions against other groups made it a super fun experience for everyone in the family. Leave the littles home if they’re under five, and check their website for more details before booking a group of kids.

If your child wants to tackle an event themselves (with your help of course!), consider creating and holding an event to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Your child picks the theme (talent show, coin drive, walk-a-thon, etc.) and with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the event comes to fruition. This is a great option for teens to show leadership on a college application, or if your child is giving-natured and enjoys organizing events.

If your kids are in school and you’re willing to volunteer on your own, check out the 9/11 National Day of Service website to find administrative positions, opportunities to serve at a hospice, and even positions working with animals. Just type in your zip code, add a keyword and you’ll have plenty of options for donating your time and skills. Not able to donate your time but still want to help? All of the volunteer organizations listed above accept monetary donations.

Kari is a military wife who gets to travel the globe with her favorite people: her family! She has a husband who is funnier than she lets on, a daughter who is more creative than anyone she’s ever met, and a son who is always up for an adventure (especially if it involves a sword fight!) Kari hails from Michigan, but thanks to joining the Navy when she was 19, she has lived in California and Japan until returning to the Midwest in 2015. Kari loves to experience what cities have to offer but also loves to kayak with her family, or explore the wilderness. Every day is a different one since she’s on her children’s school’s PTO board, the AYLL board, and goes to college part time. Kari hates being bored, so you’ll often find her with her crochet bag, working on an afghan while she’s waiting for her children during practice.

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